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Pagham Birder: The Blog

A regular account of the birds seen mainly on and around Pagham Spit, the Lagoon and the North Wall plus other birding exploits from time to time.Any news of interest regarding the ongoing erosion problems on Pagham Beach will, from now on, be shown on my other blog together with general beach photos.. Click on the link... Pagham Beach Blog on this page.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

A day of heavy showers and bright sunshine. Got out about 9.00am for a quick look round but only had my compact camera....guess what? A brilliant Firecrest in gorse opposite the old apple tree. Whilst watching it, a 'cronk,cronk' alerted me to a Raven flying overhead. On the beach in front of the Spit hide three Wheatears .

So for the only photographic record, a Ringed Plover prospecting along the shoreline.....

...and for good measure the breach of the spit which is growing daily in depth and width.

This was taken well before high tide and certainly relieves the pressure of water which flows in front of the revetment. Could this change the plans for any future man made 'cut'?

Thursday, March 24, 2016

After diligently searching my local patch (the Pagham Spit), I eventually tracked down my own Wheatear close to the hide. One was recorded yesterday by one observer but I failed to connect. It is always good to find your 'first'. I find the these early arrivals are always quite skittish and don't allow a close approach but here is distant shot. They are far more confiding during their return passage in late summer/autumn.

My first Wheatear....more than week later than previous years..cold North and Easterly winds have probably accounted for this.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Along the North Wall this morning I at last managed a distant, but heavily cropped shot, of a Cettis Warbler...they are so elusive...often heard but seldom seen.....

Not much else about but a few singing Reed Buntings....this one was quite well hidden in a bush

There was a singing Chiffchaff but no other migrants. In the Breach Pool 100 BlackTailed Godwits, 2 Snipe, plenty of Teal and a few Wigeon.

From Pagham Spit groups of Brent were noted heading out of the harbour rising high and then when about a half a mile out they would turn East before descending to sea level and to form a long string....obviously in 'migration' mode homewards.

Brent Geese ....homeward bound, just before they formed a long 'string'
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Interestingly at 3.15 there seemed to be a bit of a mass exodus with big groups totalling probably 800 birds heading out to sea before turning east and were last seen through binoculars heading towards Shoreham.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Three or four of these birds were mingling with the Turnstones in the early morning...constantly disturbed by the dog walkers but always returning to the same spot...so no real problem to them...more so to the photographer!

Always a delight to watch...always on the move on their 'clockwork' legs!

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

It was a bright sunny morning with a good forecast so, as I have not been to Pulborough Brooks for some time, this was my first stop. I arrived before the Centre opened so I had the place to myself. A few Redwings and Fieldfares were calling and some were feeding in the lower field....

Redwing

As I entered the West Meads hide the vista was amazing....the South Downs were shrouded in early morning mist and the water supported dozens of ducks looking absolutely resplendent in Spring plumage!

Drake Shoveler

Pintail

Shoveler and Teal (asleep)

Shelduck

In addition there were Pied Wagtails...

and Lapwings

...looking resplendent in their iridescent plumage

But the highlight were the seven Snipe feeding on the grass just in front of the hide....

Stunning birds!

Time for a wander in the woods...

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Nuthatches.

On to Waltham Brooks...

Chiffchaffs

A particularly pale individual...is this a 'Sibe' anyone?

Goldcrests galore but well nigh impossible to capture...such fast little movers. Dozens of blank photos and almost no 'keepers'...

The best of a disappointing lot!

Finally to Arundel WWT to improve on my previous Firecrest shots...not a sighting in two hours!!